


Til Graduation

by ReginaExMachina



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-16
Updated: 2017-09-26
Packaged: 2018-12-16 01:10:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11818065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReginaExMachina/pseuds/ReginaExMachina
Summary: Emma is on her third senior year, but could the interest of one Miss Mills see her through Til Graduation? It all started one afternoon in detention...





	1. Detention

**Author's Note:**

> Hi All! This is a short chapter to see if anyone is interested. Let me know if you are. Reviews are loved!

Emma rolled her eyes as she felt a tap at her shoulder, and when she looked up, she found chocolate brown eyes staring down at her impatiently.

“Miss Swan,” the woman’s voice was velvet, and Emma knew she was caught. She pretended to reach up and fix her hair to remove the earphone that was blasting music.

“Yes, Miss Mills?” She looked up with her best sheepish smile, the one that always got her out of trouble.

“I know you’re listening to music, I can hear Kings of Leon all the way to my desk,” the brunette frowned and Miss Mills beckoned her with a finger. “Stand up, come talk to me.”

Emma sighed, turned off the mp3 player in her pocket and followed the woman to her desk and had a seat on the chair next to her desk, letting out a sigh as she prepared for a lecture.

“Miss Swan,” the woman started, her eyes softening. “You’re already in detention, why do you do this to yourself?”

“I didn’t do anything, Miss Mills,” Emma gave the brunette a winning smile.

The brunette pressed her lips and stood up, walking around her desk, stood behind Emma and placed her hands on her shoulders, carefully removing the remaining earphone from her ear.

“Like I said, Kings of Leon, Sex on Fire?” the brunette chuckled, shaking her head.

“How did you even see that?” Emma’s eyes widened as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Emma straightened up in her seat as she felt her teacher’s voice closer, _much_ closer than she’d expected, just by her ear.

“I know everything that goes on in my classroom,” Miss Mills chuckled, flicked her eyes up to the empty room. “Especially when you’re the only student in detention hall, my only charge.”

“Look, I’m sorry, okay?” Emma stood up, turning to face the brunette, arms crossed over her chest. “I just… I got bored, and I wanted to make it go by quicker. What’s wrong with a little music?”

“It’s. Against. The. Rules,” Miss Mills pointed up behind her at her board. “No cell phones, no gum, no electronic devices.”

“It’s just you and me, though,” Emma gave the woman a little grin. “Just for today?”

“No, Emma,” the woman pointed to the chair again and, once again, Emma, defeated, sat down.

“What is it, Emma? Why aren’t you interested in achieving academically, mh? You’ve been a senior three years in a row.”

“It’s…” Emma paused, “It’s not that I’m not interested, I just… it’s difficult for me.”

“In that case, don’t you think your time might be better spent with a tutor rather than in detention?” Miss Mills took her own seat back and crossed a leg over the other.

“It’s not-” Emma fidgeted before giving an answer. “It’s not the being smart part.”

“Then what is it, Emma?” Miss Mills leaned forward, and when Emma saw those chocolate eyes again, they were no longer impatient, but concerned, and open, and she looked down again.

Emma was used to finding pity in people’s eyes, anger, frustration, annoyance, sometimes kindness, but never real concern, not the way Miss Mills was looking at her.

“Just- it’s,” she sighed, rubbing her hands against her jeans a few times, and Miss Mills tilted her head. Emma felt like the woman could see through her, through her anxiety, and she swallowed. “It’s just that every high school is different, you know?”

“...right?” Miss Mills gave a slow nod.

“And I’ve been to six of them,” Emma paused again.

“Ah,” Emma could literally see how her teacher’s eyes filled with understanding, and Miss Mills leaned back against her chair again, looking at the blonde.

“...just during senior year,” Emma said, then, “ _Years._ ”

“Do you want to tell me why?”

“Don’t you guys have like, files on students or something?” Emma averted her gaze again.

“We do,” Miss Mills nodded, a tiny smirk growing at her lips, “I confused yours with a first edition of War and Peace.”

“What?” Emma snorted, chuckling, and Miss Mills joined her.

“What I’m saying is, Emma, that I’d rather hear it from you, so I can help you.”

“Well,” Emma sighed again, looking up at her teacher at last, some of her uneasiness disappearing. “I’ve been going from foster home to foster home, and… I don’t know, I guess-”

“Aren’t you eighteen now?” Miss Mills tilted her head.

“Yeah, but-”

“Emma,” Miss Mills frowned, taking another moment to look at her student fully, her worn out shoes, her oversized black sweatshirt, the ripped jeans. “Where are you living now?”

“I, uh,” Emma gave a little shrug. “With some friends.”

“Some friends,” Miss Mills nodded, “Where?”

“Isn’t that like a breach of privacy or something?” Emma chuckled nervously again, her fingers fidgeting.

“No,” Miss Mills shook her head, “It’s not. It’s me asking you a question. Besides, isn’t answering my questions _better_ than sitting there?”

“Alright… well, I didn't lie, I'm staying with a friend. Ruby? And her granny.”

Miss Mills seemed satisfied with the answer, so Emma went on. “So… sex on fire?”

“Excuse me?” Miss Mills’ eyebrows shot up.

“Kings of Leon? You recognized the song all the way from your desk,” Emma laughed, the brunette's cheeks had turned bright red.

“Ah, yes,” Miss Mills fell into an easy smirk.

“Well…?” Emma chuckled.

“Well… what?” Miss Mills gave a little chuckle of her own.

“Do you like sex on fire?” Emma kept up her teasing, she knew what she was doing, and hopefully it would keep the woman away from trying to have one on one meetings with her about her shitty personal life.

“I do.”

It wasn't what Miss Mills had said, but rather the way she had said it, and the tone, and the way the brunette's eyes were locked on Emma’s.

The smirk was wiped off Emma’s face.

“That’s… that’s cool,” Emma croaked out as she looked up at the clock above the chalkboard, and then back down at the brunette.

“Emma, if you don’t graduate this year, they’re going to kick you out, and if you think this is hell, I’d like to see you try sitting through a GED course.”

“I know,” Emma nodded, “I guess I need to start getting serious about this, right?”

“Dead serious,” Miss Mills nodded, gave her student a kind smile, and then stood up. “Come see me after school this week. Preferably,” the teacher paused, “Not via detention.”

“Okay, I will,” Emma got up, went back to her desk and started collecting her things. “Thanks.”

“Good,” Miss Mills nodded, “I’m going to help you get serious.”

Emma gave the woman a little helpless look and an awkward smile. “Okay, see you.”

“Goodbye, Miss Swan.”


	2. Dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Again! Thank you so much for all the kudos and comments! Here is chapter 2, let me know what you think.

“When was that?” Ruby frowned softly, “And how come you didn’t tell me before?”

“Monday, when I was in detention. And now I have to go see her after school,” Emma said as she let herself fall back on the bed she’d been sharing with her friend Ruby.

“Well,” Ruby said from her chair at the vanity as she wrapped several strands of her hair in tinfoil. “That’s cool, right? Like, that she wants to help you or whatever?”

“I don’t want to be helped,” Emma shook her head, “But I guess she was nice, so… I didn’t really want to tell her the truth.”

“Well, it’s not like she’ll come here and look for you,” Ruby shrugged and returned her eyes to the mirror.

“What color are you dying your hair now?”

“Just some red streaks,” Ruby grinned. “I got the idea last night.”

“Granny’s going to be pretty pissed off at you,” Emma gave her friend a little shake of her head.

“She’ll be alright,” Ruby glanced at her friend. “She doesn’t care about stuff like that anymore. I think she’ll just be glad if I graduate without a baby.”

“Fat chance,” Emma laughed, “ How does she not know you’re so gay?”

“She has no reason to,” Ruby’s arms were akimbo. “I should tell her, huh? Might either make her less worried about me, or she’ll kick me out, and you, she’ll think you’re like, my secret live-in lover and then we’ll go have to live near that dumpster fire where I found you.”

“Ruby, don’t say that,” Emma frowned, “Living in the street is-”

“Sorrryyyyy,” Ruby batted her lashes at Emma. “Too soon?”

“Yeah,” Emma reached for her backpack, dragging it closer and grabbed her homework out of her backpack, “I guess I’ll tell Miss Mills tomorrow. I hate it when people waste their time on me,” she sighed, sat up in bed and looked down at her assignments. 

“Alright, I won’t be here when you get back, probably,” Ruby flashed her a grin.

“Oh, where are you going? It’s Thursday, I thought your date was on Friday.” Emma perked up.

“I have a date on Friday, but I also have one today,” Ruby smirked.

“Oh,” Emma shifted a bit, “You know what? I think I’m gonna go for a walk.”

“Okay,” Ruby nodded, then said, “Hey, Emma?”

“Yeah?”

“Miss Mills is not wasting her time,” Ruby gave her friend a gentle smile, a rare one, and a soft smile grew on Emma’s lips. 

“See you later, Ruby.”

“See ya.”

 

Emma sat down by the lake, her back against a tree as she wondered how she had ended up like this in her life.

There were few things Emma even knew about her life, but at least those things were clear to her. First of all, she knew what she looked like, blonde and average. Second, she knew she had been given up for adoption. And third, she had a fairly good idea of who she was inside. She was a good person, kind, giving, and she liked to stand up for the underdog. 

There were also a few things Emma didn’t know about her life. Who was she? Why was she? What would she do? All this time, growing up, she had been so tangled up with trying to fit in with her foster families that she had never given a thought to the future.

She was eighteen years old, so far hadn’t held a job, and she had no idea what she wanted to do now that she was no longer in foster care. Eating was obvious, and having a place to live, but… career-wise? She didn’t really know. And now that her teacher, Miss Mills, had brought up getting serious about finally graduating, it forced her to think about the next step, and Emma didn’t like to be forced into things.

She crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes astray over the sparkling soft ripples of the lake.

“Emma?” a voice called her from somewhere to her left and she turned to find Miss Mills standing there, a surprised smile on her face. “Are you alright?”

Emma stood up and dusted off her pants, approaching the woman, whose hand was being held by a man’s, a bit taller, dirty blonde hair and a well-kept lock beard.

“Hey Miss Mills,” Emma looked back at her teacher. “Yeah, I’m alright, just went for a walk.”

“Oh good, sounds like we had the same idea,” the brunette gave her a smile. “This is my husband, Robin.”

“Hello there,” the man waved at her, and Emma gave her something that was supposed to be a smile, just a slight scrunching of her eyes.

“Hi Mister Mills.”

“Oh no,” Regina chuckled, “He’s Mister Locksley.”

“Oh, you don’t have the same last name?” Emma looked at the woman with interest, and Regina shook her head.

“Nope, I like my own, thank you,” she gave a mischievous grin and look, one that she shared with her husband, as if they were sharing something intimate, and Emma looked away. 

She wanted that.

“That’s good,” Emma nodded, looking from one to the other. 

“Well, we were on our way to dinner,” Miss Mills announced after a moment of silence and then seemed to hesitate before saying. “Would you like to join us? We’re going to the bistro just down the street.”

“Oh,” Emma seemed surprised, and then excited, and then defeated, and at last, her eyes clouded and she shook her head softly. “No, it’s alright, it looks like you two are going on a date or something.”

“We’ve been married so long that dating is just-”

“Hey,” the woman narrowed her eyes at her husband, but then chuckled, “Robin is right, we’re not on a date, so you’re welcome to join us. Come on, I insist.”

“You better listen, Emma, when Regina gets an idea in her-” Robin began, but was promptly cut off.

“Your name is Regina?” Emma raised both eyebrows slightly, and the brunette nodded. 

“It is,” Miss Mills chuckled. “I thought you knew that.”

“No, I guess everyone just calls you Miss Mills, so,” Emma frowned softly. “How come you’re Miss Mills and not Mrs. Mills if you’re married?”

“It’s… complicated,” Regina said, and Emma saw a shadow pass over the woman’s eyes, and then her husband, Robin, seemed to tug her along.

“Alright, we must get going, are you sure you won’t come?” The brunette asked and Emma turned her eyes to the man. 

“I didn’t bring any money,” Emma gave a shrug. Not that she had any.

“That’s alright, it’s our treat,” the man said, “I know Regina loves her students.”

“I sure do,” Regina smiled, bright eyes settling back on Emma and it was contagious. Emma found herself smiling and walking along with them.

“How do you like Storybrooke, then?” Regina asked Emma when the waitress had finished taking their order. 

“I like it,” Emma gave a little smile, “It’s not like any place I’ve ever lived at before.”

“Where have you lived?” Regina asked, resting her elbow on the table, and her chin on her fisted hand.

“Well, I was in New York for a while, and then Boston, ran away to Texas, and now I’m here in Maine.”

“Interesting,” Regina said, “I’ve never left Storybrooke.”

Emma tilted her head, surprised, and frowned. 

“Really? Never?”

Regina shook her head. “Really. Well,” she gave a little fond smile, “Except when I read books.”

Robin cleared his throat and passed an arm around Regina’s shoulders.

“Tell her the truth, R’gina,” the man chuckled, and Emma perked up. “Regina’s jinxed.”

“Jinxed? Like how?” Emma played with her glass of water.

“Well,” Regina shook her head, “I’m not jinxed, just… any time I’ve tried to leave Storybrooke some mishaps prevents it. But I wouldn’t say I’m jinxed, Robin,” she gave her husband a little look and a raised eyebrow.

“What kind of mishaps?” Emma asked, taking a drink.

“Well, just little things, you know. Car breaks down, irreparable, things like that.”

“Broken legs,” Robin started, chuckling, “Broken arms, she mostly usually ends up in the hospital. Once she even had the skin of her face peeling off.”

“That could be anxiety you know,” Emma nodded, finally something she could he helpful with. She knew all about anxiety about having to leave a place. “I had a therapist once that said that our minds will do anything to avoid doing something we’re very afraid of.”

Regina seemed to consider this, but in the end she shook her head, chuckling. 

“It’s nothing like that, just unhappy accidents,” Regina leaned back in her chair and reached for her glass of wine, taking a sip.

“So where are you actually from?” Robin asked Emma, and Emma frowned softly, pressing her lips together. “Well, I was… found in Maine, but, I’m not- I don’t really know.”

Regina’s eyes saddened and she reached over, placing a hand over Emma’s.

“It doesn’t matter, Emma,” the woman’s eyes held that kindness again, the one Emma had seen during detention earlier that week. “What matters is where you want to go.”

Emma smiled, nodding softly and soon their meals were brought and the couple talked throughout most of the dinner, sharings bits and pieces of their lives.

It turned out Robin was funny, sweet and attentive with Regina, and Regina was quite different from what she showed herself to be in the classroom. She actually seemed like a very sweet woman. Emma had been surprised to find out that she had apple trees growing in her garden.

“...so, of course, she decided to buy the house behind ours to keep the new apple tree,” Robin chuckled. “Can you believe it?”

“Wow, you bought a whole other property just because it was growing an apple tree? Wish I had just a little one with just a roof,” she chuckled a little, and Regina’s smile faded a bit, but Emma had been looking away.

“Yeah, I did,” Regina blushed softly, giving a little shrug. “It’s a nice getaway from this gentleman,” she laughed warmly when Robin pouted.

Regina’s eyes remained on Emma’s though, and she briefly wondered if her young student simply was shy, or if she was uncomfortable. 

“That’s funny,” Emma smiled a little more, even chuckled a little as she started poking at the last of her food. 

Soon, the check was brought and Robin went to pay, and when he returned, he helped them both out of their chairs and they made their way outside.

“Can we walk you home, Emma?” Robin offered, and Emma smiled at the man. 

“It’s okay, I don’t live too far from here.” 

“Are you sure? It’s no problem,” Regina said, “Besides, you shouldn’t be out on your own.”

“I’m really sure,” Emma smiled at her teacher and dug into the pockets of her jeans, wishing she had brought a coat. 

“Okay,” Regina nodded, then looked at Emma’s posture. “You must be freezing, here,” she said, removing her scarf from around her neck and wrapped it around Emma’s, carefully helping fix her hair from around it.

And that scarf was warm, from Regina’s own warmth, and it smelled nice, it made Emma smell nice too, and the blonde grinned at her teacher. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, dear.” Regina patted her shoulder gently, and then looked at her husband, and back at Emma again. “Well, good night.”

“Good night, Miss Mills,” Emma smiled, “Bye Robin, and thank you for dinner.”

“Bye Emma, be good,” the man waved at her, and a moment later, they were walking away back the same path down the lake, hand in hand.

It made Emma feel something at the pit of her stomach, but in the end, she was grateful for the meal, and the company too.

And now she knew more about Miss Mills, and it made her feel two things. One, she felt guilty that she hadn’t told the woman the truth. And second, she really wanted to see her apples. The sweetest, most beautiful ones you’ll find in Storybrooke, Robin had said, praising his wife’s care for the trees.

 

“I like Emma,” Regina found herself telling her husband that night as she dressed for bed. “I want to help her.”

“And how will you do that?” Robin asked, looking at his wife.

“You know, I’ll start with her academics and work my way from there. She’s a sweet girl, shy…” Regina sighed. 

“Is it possible that you’re projecting, love?” The man pulled his wife to sit with him at the foot of the bed and Regina looked up at him.

“No, it’s different,” Regina frowned. “Very different. I had a choice and she didn’t.”

“Alright,” Robin nodded, and Regina smiled gently at him, kissed his cheek. “Thank you for being so wonderful, Robin.”

“I’ll be buying your students a lot more meals if I get this treatment every time,” The man gave his wife a sheepish grin and Regina chuckled. 

“As if you don’t.”

“No, no, I do, but tonight you’re extra sweet. Wonder if your maternal instincts are coming alive.”

“Oh no,” Regina raised an eyebrow, and the quickness and adamance with which she had said it made Robin raise his eyebrow, look at his wife inquisitively, but Regina brushed him off and went to finish dressing, her eyes widened.

No, Emma didn’t make her feel any such instinct. Emma made her feel… 

She stopped her train of thought. Emma shouldn’t make her feel anything. She was her student. One Regina was determined to help until graduation.


	3. Tell-Tale Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thank you all for your amazing feedback. I hope you like this chapter.

Regina looked up from her desk when she heard the door open, and a moment later a smile appeared on her lips when she saw Emma walking into her classroom, and then a worried look.

“You’re not here for detention, are you?” Regina raised an eyebrow and Emma chuckled, shaking her head.

“No, I’ve been good, just like I said,” she approached the desk and sat down on the chair next to it. “You said to come see you after school.”

“I did, I almost thought you weren’t coming,” the brunette smiled and set aside the tests she was grading, fixing her eyes on Emma. “So tell me, what assignments are you working on?”

“Just a paper for English class,” Emma said, looking up at the brunette, who kept her eyes on her.

“Well? What’s the topic?” Regina asked her, and Emma opened her backpack, struggling with the zipper and Regina frowned softly. 

“When was the last time you got a new backpack, Emma?” 

“I- what?” Emma frowned, “I don’t know, I can’t remember. I guess like sophomore year.”

“Oh,” Regina twisted her lips a bit, eyeing the girl’s backpack again. It was old, tattered and camouflage. Well, if there was anything she knew about high schoolers and backpacks, it was that teens normally expressed themselves through whatever accessories they had. Of course a backpack was an accessory.

Regina stood up and went to her cabinet, opening it with a couple of jerks and retrieved a large totebag. 

“Maybe this will help you for now.”

“Oh,” Emma shook her head, “No, it’s alright, I don’t wanna take your stuff.”

“It’s alright, I’m a teacher, remember? I have plenty of tote bags.”

“Well, I’ll bring it back tomorrow,” Emma smiled and took the offering, moving her binders to the tote bag.

“Emma?”

“Yeah?” 

“Your assignment, what is it about?”

“Oh, something about a heart,” Emma said, pulling out the correct assignment sheet and showed it to Miss Mills.

“Ah, Edgar Allan Poe, one of my very own favorites,” the woman seemed stoked, and Emma had to bite back a mutter of dork.

“Really? Well, I guess.”

“Yeah, have you read this short story?”

“Nope,” Emma said, “Well, yeah, I guess I just don’t really get it. The guy just like, decides to kill some old man because he has an eye problem? And then he confesses? It just, I guess it doesn’t make sense.”

“Okay, let’s take it step by step,” Miss Mills smiled, looking at her student.

“I didn’t bring the thing,” Emma winced.

“Oh, we don’t need it,” Regina smiled, one of those smug smiles of hers, so different from what Emma had seen during dinner.

“Oh, okay then, you know it by heart?” Emma’s eyebrows rose a bit.

“I do, is that surprising? Don’t you memorize things you love?”

“Well, yeah but, it’s more like, songs, not about murder usually,” Emma laughed nervously, and Regina chuckled.

“Ah, but my dear, this tale is about much more than murder.”

“Really? Had me fooled when he chopped up the old dude,” Emma shifted, pulling her legs up on the chair, her arm resting over her knees.

“Oh yes, allow me,” Regina stood up, and took a piece of white chalk. “We have three predominant elements, don’t we?”

“Sure,” Emma said, grabbing a notebook to write notes.

“Can you tell me what they are, Emma?”

“Murderer, sharp weapon, murder victim?” 

“Well, maybe more than three elements,” Regina gave the blonde a smile, and Emma eased into a smile of her own.

“We have the eye,” Regina wrote it down on the board, “Pale blue with a film over it, if my memory serves me well.” 

“Uh huh,” Emma wrote it down.

“And then we have the heartbeat,” Regina wrote that down as well, “And last but not least, we have a confession, do you agree?”

“Yes, I do,” Emma nodded.

“Okay, so, we are starting at B with the eye, D with the heartbeat, and F with the confession. We must find A, C and E.”

“O...kay?” Emma winced again, wrinkled her nose.

“So, how does the story start?”

“Uh, the guy’s talking crazy?”

“Exactly!” Regina exclaimed, “The guy is talking crazy, he’s talking about not being crazy, yes?” 

“Yes, right,” Emma nodded, making more notes.

“The reason why The Tell-Tale Heart is so complex is because the narrator is speaking _against_ his own purpose, quite a feat in the time this was written, when a diminishing mental health was a terrifying concept.”

“Huh,” Emma nodded, “Okay, so you’re saying he’s talking but he’s actually not telling the truth?”

“That’s correct, he’s doing the exact opposite. He’s trying to convince us that he’s not _mad_ -”

“He must have been pretty mad if he killed the old dude,” Emma chuckled.

“Except,” Regina raised a finger, “When he says mad, he doesn’t mean angry, he means mentally ill.”

“Ohhh…” Emma’s mouth took on an ‘o’ shape and she jotted notes down.

“Exactly. Now, he states how calm he is, how carefully he planned it, except… any time he tried to do it, the old man was asleep, and he couldn’t see, our second element, our B, _the eye_.” 

Emma’s eyes lit up and she jotted down notes quicker. “Okay, so he _is_ crazy, and… the eye?”

“He does have some psychological issues, and becomes obsessive about the eye, now, how does that get us to our next point, what was it?”

“The heart,” Emma said, and Regina nodded, pointing up at it on the chalkboard, where she herself was writing down notes. 

“Yes, the heart, but we’re missing C,” Regina smiled. “The narrator tells us that he loves the old man, and that’s why he can’t kill him at first, because when he goes to try and murder him in his sleep, the eye is closed. He wants to rid himself of the evil eye.”

“Okay, I think I get it,” Emma said, “The guy was obsessed with the old man’s eye, but when he tries to go kill him he doesn’t see the eye, so that’s why he only does it the night when the old man wakes up and he sees the eye.”

“Yep, that’s correct,” Regina smiled, watching the wheels spinning behind Emma’s eyes. 

“I think I get it now,” Emma nodded, and together, they went through the rest of the story, with Regina pointing out the details that Emma had missed to properly understand.

“So… if it’s all representation,” Emma asked, “What do the three elements mean?”

“Well, that’s up to anyone’s best guess, but, I particularly like the following theory,” Regina smiled, “I think the narrator sees the eye as his own evil, the heartbeat that he attributes to the old man is _his own_ , and the guilt and horror he feels about what he had done is attributed to the police officers, and in the end, that lead him to his confession.”

“Wow…” Emma sat back, let out a breath. “I hadn’t… I hadn’t thought of it like that.”

“You’ll find, Emma,” Regina smiled, “That a lot of the time, the small little details have the most meaning.” 

“I think you’re right.” Emma nodded, smiling at her teacher. “Okay, I’ll go home and write this paper.”

“Good,” Regina nodded, standing up and gathering her things in yes, yet another tote bag, this one with a little apple embroidered onto it.

“Thank you, Miss Mills,” Emma said and gather her things as well.

“You’re welcome, dear,” Regina said, “Oh, and since Robin bragged so much, I brought you this,” the woman presented a large, shiny red apple. “For you.”

“Oh,” Emma smiled, taking the apple and chuckled. “Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around? Me bringing you an apple and all that?”

“Well, dear,” Regina gave the blonde a sided smile. “You don’t strike me much as a teacher’s pet.”

“Are you even allowed to use that term?” Emma chuckled, putting the apple in her new tote bag.

“Don’t tell anyone,” Regina grinned, winking at the blonde and after Emma had left, she locked up and left.

 

“What’s that?” Ruby asked as she peeked over Emma’s locker the following Monday. 

“I don’t know,” Emma pulled out the large bag and opened it, inside of it finding a backpack, all black, brand new, tags still on it, and when she picked it up, she realized there was something inside it. She knelt on the carpet and unzipped it, Ruby next to her, to find a pair of converse, black and white just like the ones she always wore, but new.

Last but not least, there was a sweatshirt, black, also like the one she usually wore, but when she turned it, it had a tiny little swan embroidered in it. 

Just like the embroidery in her tote bag.

She smiled.

“What? Who gave you all of this?” Ruby asked, elbowing her friend. 

“I-I don’t know,” Emma said, shrugging, and Ruby narrowed her eyes at the way her friend was holding her sweater. 

“Well, whoever it is, sounds like they like you,” she smiled brighter, and the bell rang. “Hurry up, we’re going to be late for class.”

“Boo freaking hoo,” Emma said, “I’ll catch up with you later, okay?”

“Oh, Emma, are you gonna skip again?”

“No, I just have something I need to do.”

“Okay.”

 

“What’s this?” Emma barged into Regina’s classroom, and the woman, who had been writing down the day’s lesson on the board, turned to look at Emma.

“Hi Emma,” the brunette put down the chalkboard and walked over, then smiled as she saw the backpack and sweater and shoes. “Sounds like Santa came a bit early this year,” she chuckled.

“No shit-”

“Emma-”

“I don’t want this stuff,” Emma threw the things down on the floor.

“Wh-why not?” Regina looked down at the items, puzzled, then up at her student.

“Because I don’t want your pity, alright? I’m fine with what I have.”

“Emma…” the teacher sighed, went to pick up the discarded gifts. “I don’t- it’s not pity, I just thought you-”

“You thought what? That I’m some poor kid that you’ve taken up as your pet project? Well I’m not, alright, I don’t even want your help.”

“Alright,” the brunette placed the items on her desk and leaned against it, arms cross over her chest.

“What _do_ you want then?” 

“Nothing, I just want you to leave me alone.”

“I’ve just been trying to help you-”

“Oh yeah? Why, Miss Mills? Why do you want to help me so badly?”

Regina sighed, uncrossed her arms.

“Is it really so difficult to believe someone wants to see you do well, Emma?” 

“Yeah, it is. All my life anything I’ve been given something is expected in return. So what do you want out of this, Miss Mills?”

“W-want?” Regina shook her head, turned away and picked up her laptop. “Alright, I’ll tell you what I want. It’s been a week since you last came in for tutoring, I want to know why.”

“I’ve just been busy.” Emma crossed her arms, shuffling from one foot to the other.

“I see. I also want to know why you’ve been skipping speech class.”

“That must be an error in the attendance.”

“Okay,” Regina nodded again, “I also want to know why you didn’t turn in your paper on Poe.”

At this, Emma finally dropped her confrontational posture and lowered her eyes.

“I-I- how did you know?” 

“I told you, I’d help you get serious about this, Emma.”

“Well, sorry to disappoint you.”

“I’m not disappointed,” Miss Mills walked closer, and Emma found herself wanting to take a step back.

And like five steps forward.

“We worked really hard on that, I guess I just want to know why.”

“I guess you’ve been wasting your time on me, Miss Mills. Sorry.”

“I’m not wasting my time, Emma. I willingly offered to help you, and here I am, trying to help you. Why didn’t you turn it in?”

“Because-” Emma fidgeted, shook her head. 

“It’s alright,” the brunette’s voice softened, “Come have a seat, and we can talk.”

Emma followed the woman to her desk, took her now customary seat on the chair by it after moving some stacks of papers out of it.

“Look, I appreciate that you’re trying to help, Miss Mills, but I’m gonna get kicked out anyway. I’m not coming back after Thanksgiving break.”

“What do you mean?” Regina frowned.

“They already talked to me last month, you know, about what you said, me leaving, I’m eighteen and all of that.”

“Is that why you haven’t been caring, Emma? Or even trying to pass your classes?” Regina’s face was unreadable now, and Emma just knew she was upset, she just knew it, that’s why she hadn’t wanted to tell her.

“Yeah, to be honest I’m not even sure why I do keep coming back to school in the first place, I should be getting a job, you know, adult-y stuff.”

“Surely there’s a reason,” Miss Mills said, “Why do you keep coming back, Emma? What’s your motivation?”

“Free lunch?”

“That won’t do. They can’t kick you out unless you don’t graduate.”

“Really?”

“Is that what they said? That you couldn’t come back after break?” Regina raised an eyebrow.

“Not- not exactly, Principal Blanchard just… encouraged other opportunities I can pursue away from Apple Creek High.

“Other opportunities like what?” Miss Mills frowned, eyes on the blonde.

“Like that GED course you mentioned.”

The brunette sighed.

“And do you want to stay here, Emma? Graduate from Apple Creek?”

“I don’t really know. It’s not like I’ve had a lot of choices on where to go. Ever.”

“But do you like it here? Have you made friends? Do you like your teachers? Your classes?”

“I like you, I guess. You don’t treat me like I’m dumb.” Emma looked down at her fidgeting hands.

“That’s because you aren’t, Emma. Lack of opportunities have nothing to do with intellect.”

Those words, combined with Miss Mills’ obvious upset, made Emma smile.

“I do like it here, Miss Mills,” the girl finally said, and the older woman looked at her for a few moments, a second too long perhaps, and that extra second made Emma squirm inside, and she wasn’t sure why.

“Forget what Principal Blanchard said, alright? We’ll work together to get your grades up. And no more skipping classes. I saw your attendance log earlier this morning.”

“How am I even going to pass, though? I’ve never even met Miss Green.”

“Your speech teacher?” Miss Mills gave Emma a pointed look, and Emma met it with a sheepish smile. 

“What can I say? I’m shy…”

At that, the brunette did chuckle.

“Let’s go meet her now,” Regina said, gesturing towards the door.

“Oh no, please Miss Mills?”

“She’s a nice woman, and we need to figure out what you can do to pass her class,” Regina raised an eyebrow. Emma winced.

“-Or…” Regina said, “You can meet her all on your own when you have to go to her class tomorrow.”

“Okay, okay, let’s do it now.”

“That’s a good girl.”

The words made Emma’s stomach twist, her chest soaring with that mild approval she seldom received.

“Well, after you,” she pointed to the door, looking at Miss Mills, who nodded and took the backpack and other gifts and dumped them in Emma’s arms. 

“Thank you, and don’t you ever think I expect something in return, Emma. The only thing I want is for you to graduate, and make a future for yourself.”

_Why?_

Emma, however, didn’t get to ask her question, as Miss Mills was already on her way to the door.


	4. Petty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi All! I love reading your feedback and getting your kudos! Thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter. :)

“...and this is Emma Swan. You’d probably know her, but she’s never been to your class.” Regina said, looking at the blonde, who raised a hand and gave her teacher an awkward wave. 

“Ah yes, I know you from the attendance logs, Emma.”

“I know you from… I guess the subject I always skip.” Emma said, and earned a raised eyebrow from Miss Green, who then turned to the brunette.

“Regina, can I speak to you alone for a moment?” The woman asked, after a nod from Regina, Emma took the few steps to the door and pulled the door along, leaving it ajar.

“What’s this, Regina?” Emma heard the woman ask, and heard Miss Mills answer.

“She needs to graduate, and Blanchard isn’t making it easy on her,” the woman seemed to sigh and Emma moved a little closer along the wall so she could hear better.

“She isn’t helping herself either, she’s never been to my class, it’s unbelievable. I don’t think there’s anything that I can do to help her this late in the game. Do her parents even know?” Miss Green asked, and the next time she heard Miss Mills, the woman’s tone was aggravated.

“Have you even read her file, Zelena? Her parents are out of the picture, and Mary Margaret has asked her not to come back after Thanksgiving break and get a GED.”

“Well, maybe it’s for the better, Gina. The girl obviously doesn’t care that much about school.”

“You might not either if you were quasi-homeless, don’t you think? Maybe food would be a priority, and having somewhere to sleep without feeling it’s conditioned.” Regina’s voice seemed to be getting lower, and angrier, Emma thought.

“Look,” Miss Green let out a sigh, “I can’t help he-”

“Zelena…” now Regina’s voice became more patient. “Don’t you remember?”

“You’re unbelievable, Regina,” the woman let out a huff, an actual huff. “There’s no need to bring up our past.”

“Will you help her?” Regina asked, and after a few moments of silence, Emma heard the other woman mutter a yes. 

“Thank you, you’re the best sister,” Regina said, and Emma’s eyes widened, she had no idea Miss Green and Miss Mills were sisters, and when she peeked in to look, she saw Miss Mills giving the woman -her sister?- a hug.

“-but,” Miss Green continued, “She has to come to class every single day, and do to catch her up she will need to present in front of her class.”

“I’m sure she can do it,” Regina said, smiling at the woman in front of her. 

“Good, I’ll give her her assignments to catch up tomorrow, if she comes to class. Make sure she understands.”

“I-I understand,” Emma said, stepping in but remaining near the door. “Thank you, Miss Green.”

At last, Zelena smiled at her, and Emma returned the smile. “Good, see you tomorrow, Emma.”

“See you, Miss Green, bye Miss Mills, and thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Emma,” Regina smiled at the blonde, who gave her a lingering smile.

 

“Miss Blanchard,” Regina called out as she caught up with the woman, helping her with a box she was putting in her car. 

“Oh, hi Regina, what can I do for you?” Mary Margaret said as she turned to her with a smile.

“I was wondering if you could help me with a student, her name is Emma Swan and she-”

“Oh no,” Mary Margaret shook her head. “I’m sorry, Regina, but my hands are tied on this.”

“What?” Regina’s frown was more than evident as she glared at the principal.

“Look, the school laws changed, there’s nothing I can do about this, Regina. I tried, you know I don’t like to see students fail.”

“And yet no one bothered with her until I did,” Regina crossed her arms over her chest, unwilling to help the woman with the boxes anymore; it was early, and there were almost no cars in the high school parking lot.

“What are you saying?” the principal turned to Regina, mirroring her arms crossed gesture.

“I’m saying that everyone knew her background, you, the counselors, her teachers-”

“Are you even her teacher?”

“No, but I’ve seen her in detention plenty,” Regina said, shaking her head. “Miss Blanchard- Mary Margaret, how can I help her?”

“And what is your interest in Emma?” Mary Margaret asked, her brow furrowing slightly.

“What do you mean?” Regina asked, her voice even.

“Well, Regina…” Miss Blanchard tilted her head to one side. “I’m just wondering why all of a sudden you have an interest in her. Some of us still remember your dalliances with Mallorie-”

The color was drained from Regina’s face at once as she tried to grasp what Mary Margaret was saying. This certainly wasn’t something she expected to hear, and that name wasn’t one that she thought of often. Not anymore.

“-Emma’s got no parents to look after her, I just don’t want you to get into a… bad situation.”

“Okay.” Regina simply said, and found herself walking away with quick steps.

 

“What’s up with you?” Emma told her that afternoon as she walked into Miss Mills’ classroom. 

“Hey Emma, nothing’s up,” the woman turned to her and smiled faintly as she erased math equations from the board. 

“You should tell your face, you look like someone killed your puppy.” Emma chuckled, and Regina smiled a bit wider, shaking her head.

“So what’s your assignment for Miss Green’s?” Regina asked as she set down the eraser and sat at her desk, inviting Emma to sit.

“I have to teach the class how to make something, and it needs to last at least five minutes, but not more than six, and it has to include all of this,” she handed Regina a list, and the woman perused it slowly, too slowly.

Because Regina had no idea how to tell Emma that she had failed, and that she wouldn’t graduate from Apple Creek, and that she couldn’t go overboard in asking for Miss Blanchard’s help because of a youthful mistake Regina had made.

Though if the woman understood anything about psychology, she would understand that at that time, almost thirteen years ago, Regina had needed guidance, and love, and help. She hadn’t been older than Emma herself, when she fell into bed with her English teacher.

“-lls?” she heard Emma say in the distance, and she shook her head, fixed her eyes on Emma’s blue ones. “Where did you go?”

“Mh? Nowhere, I’m just thinking about this list.”

“You’ve been thinking for a while. So is Miss Green your sister?”

Regina raised an eyebrow. 

“Private conversations are private for a reason, Emma,” the woman said, but gave her a side glance and a smile. “But yes, she’s my half-sister.”

“She seemed upset when you mentioned about-”

“Private, Emma,” Regina tilted her head. “ _Private._ ”

Emma chuckled, shaking her head and pulled out a notebook.

“So these are my ideas of what I can do…” Emma started, and so they kept talking for another half an hour until Emma announced she needed to go, something about covering for Ruby.

 

“What’s wrong, doll?” Robin asked his wife as he watched her sip her wine.

“Do you remember Emma? My student that we took out to dinner?” Regina looked up from her wine glass.

“Yeah, the shy one?” Robin asked and ate more of his lasagna.

“Yes, well… she can’t come back to school after Thanksgiving, and there isn’t much I can do to help her.”

“Why not?”

“She’s turning eighteen over break and Mary Margaret said it had something to do with the laws changing.”

“So why don’t you talk to Mayor Drake?” Robin suggested, and Regina took a long, long sip of her wine.

“I’m not sure that’s in Emma’s best interest,” Regina said, shaking her head and poked at her barely-eaten food.

“It can’t hurt, R’gina,” the man said. “Maybe you could get an exception. Emma’s case is extraordinary, much like your lasagna.”

“Extraordinarily bad?” the brunette raised an eyebrow, and her husband chuckled, bringing a smile to her own face. “You haven’t lived in Storybrooke as long as I have, Robin. Mayor Drake and I have an unpleasant history, and I don’t want to damage Emma’s chances with it.”

“Oh,” the man frowned, “How bad can it be?”

“You have no idea.”

“Well, Gina,” he sighed, “The past’s in the past. Who could be so petty as to take some old beef out on a teenaged girl?”

Regina seemed to mull over those words, until Robin said. 

“Surely it’s been long enough.”

At last, Regina nodded and ate a bite of her food. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to try.

 

“Hey, you’re super late!” Ruby told Emma as the girl stepped into their bedroom and went to sit on the bed with her backpack.

“Sorry, I had tutoring,” Emma said and unzipped it, pulling out the items Miss Mills had given her, and fighting the little smile that threatened to appear on her lips. The last thing she wanted were Ruby’s comments.

“Uhh… what are you doing?” Ruby asked, looking at Emma through the mirror as she put on her lipstick. “We’re going out tonight. To the movies, if granny asks.”

“I can’t, Ruby, I need to work on this thing for Miss Green’s class.”

“What? Since when?” Ruby turned to look at her friend, who simply shook her head. 

“I’m sorry, Rubes, I can’t tonight.”

“I’ve been planning this for a week. We’ll tell granny we’re going to the movies, to the midnight show, and then we’ll tell her we ran into Ella and she invited us to spend the night.”

“Yeah? And where are we going?” Emma asked, standing up from the bed and crossing her arms.

“I’m going with- that’s not important-”

“Yes, it is, Ruby, where am _I_ going to spend the night, huh?” 

“I hadn’t thought about that, come on, Emma, you can find a place, or sleep at the bus station like you used to.”

“What the hell Ruby, no, I’m not doing that, and this is really important.” Emma gestured to her backpack.

“What about me, huh? If it weren’t for me you’d still be out on the street. Come on, Emma, do this for me?”

“No, Ruby! I’m not going to sleep at a bus station just so you can fuck some girl, okay?”

“Yeah? Well you might anyway, since you’re homeless, right?”

“What?”

“If you can’t help me why should I help you?” Ruby said, arms crossed, angry eyes fixed on Emma’s, blue eyes brimming with tears.

“So that’s it? You’re telling me to go because I don’t want to spend the night wherever while you go fuck? Is that what our friendship is worth to you?” 

“Emma, that’s not what I-”

“Whatever, Ruby,” Emma grabbed her new backpack, and her old one, and started throwing in whatever little clothes she had. 

“Emma, please, that’s not what I meant, I just wanted to convince you to come with me.”

“Yeah, well, fuck you, Ruby, if you’re going to throw your glorious help in my face for this petty shit, who knows what you’ll want me to do for you tomorrow. No thanks.”

“Emma, don’t go,” Ruby tried to pry Emma’s backpack away, but Emma tugged it back hard.

“Stop, Ruby. I’m leaving. I guess you can tell granny whatever you want after all,” Emma said, zipping up her backpacks and leaving the rest of her things, then stormed out of the house.


	5. Ghosts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone! Thank you for your kudos and feedback. Let me know if you like this chapter! ♥

           “I have to say I was surprised to see your name on the requested audiences list,” a tall, blonde woman said in a cool voice as she approached Regina, her long red fingernails scraping the wooden desk as she walked along. “Naturally, I bumped you up, Regina.”

“Hello, Miss Drake-”

“Mal will do just fine, Gina, we’re old friends, aren’t we?” the blonde smiled, and it made Regina’s skin crawl in a very uneasy way.

“Mal…” she smiled, though. After all, she had a purpose… although being called Gina in that cool tone made the brunette want to run away.

“Would you like something to drink? I have coffee, tea, maybe something a little stronger? I do recall you had a taste for bourbon.”

“I don’t drink that anymore,” Regina gave the woman a clipped smile, “No- nothing to drink for me, thank you. I just wanted to talk about a student.”

“Ah,” the blonde seemed dejected, but Regina knew better than that. “In that case, have a seat and let’s talk about a student.”

Regina sat, her purse at her lap as she looked about the office a bit; the place seemed familiar, though she couldn’t recall ever being inside of it. The wallpaper had intricate designs, that of a pattern or trees in black and white, and Regina found that faux forest inviting for some reason.

“Well?” The woman said, taking a seat as well and Regina was forced out of her observations of the decor.

“Well… her name is Emma Swan, and she’s going to be kicked out of school,” Regina said, “She’d really like to be able to finish the year at Apple Creek.”

"Hmm..." the woman named Mal tilted her head, seeming to peruse the situation. “Yes, Mary Margaret called me about her a few days ago, said that you're hellbent. And why isn’t she here asking herself?”

“I… she’s had a rough time, and she’s an orphan, Mal. I’m here to advocate for her.”

“…in the way I advocated for you?” Regina watched as the woman darted out her tongue and passed it over her lower lip, moistening it.

“Yes, but… without the-” Regina pressed her lips together. “She’s just my student.”

“ _ You  _ were just my student…” Mal said, leaning a bit towards Regina, who became entranced in the woman’s eyes for a moment.

“Just your student?” Regina raised an eyebrow slightly, and Mal gave her a sided smile.

“Well, Gina…” the brunette felt the backs of cool fingers caressing the skin of her cheek and she closed her eyes, let out a soft breath. “You’re never  _ just  _ anything to me…”

“Mal…” Regina’s voice sounded begging, she bit her lower lip, and at last opened her eyes, unable to help but to lean into that hand.

“I’m- I’m married,” Regina said, and the woman withdrew her hands, oh, but Regina felt her presence everywhere, surrounding her, like a blanket, one that could suddenly grow spikes and kill her.

“I know, darling. You married that silly boy toy of yours, Robin, right?” She chuckled. “A park ranger.”

“It’s not glamorous but it’s a noble career,” Regina cleared her throat. “Maybe I’ll take a water.”

Mal stood up and went to get Regina a glass, returning a short moment later.

“Glamorous… as in…?” Mal pursued the subject despite Regina’s attempts to deflect.

“As in…” she gestured around the office and at last stood up, sitting in front of Mal made her feel smaller than she had already felt standing up. “You know, being Mayor.”

“Ah,” Mal clucked her tongue, “Do you compare my career to your boy toy’s? Am I your standard, Regina?”

Regina felt flustered, like she had felt many, many years ago in the presence of this woman. She was suddenly a teenager again, bent over Miss Drake’s desk, taking her from behind and she gripped her glass, feeling like she’d melt. She drank her water vigorously, then set the glass down on the desk.

“It was-” Regina pressed her lips together, cleared her throat, “The only example I could think of at the moment.”

“I see,” Mal smiled. “Well, I suppose I could drop it for now, though, Regina, I am disappointed.”

“Why?” Regina felt her heart beat faster in her chest.

“Because I thought the next time you’d approach me, it’d be under different circumstances.”

“Such as what?” Regina found herself asking despite herself.

“Such as you getting tired of your boy toy,” Mal smiled, though Regina knew better than to think it was a friendly gesture.

“He’s my husband, Mal,” Regina’s apprehension, though, was more than clear in her tone.

“Only because the town found out about us,” Mal reminded her, though it wasn’t necessary. Regina was well aware of the reasons she had married Robin.

“That’s not true,” Regina started, but the blonde interrupted her.

“Oh, it’s true, but see my darling, I always told you. It doesn’t matter what people think of you. How many elections have I won despite being fifty percent of that nasty rumor? And _ I _ was the  _ teacher _ .”

“I don’t know what you want me to say, Mal,” Regina crossed her arms. “I wanted to be a teacher, and I’m a teacher now.”

“Yes, but how long did you struggle to become one? Four? Five years? You couldn’t even get a substitute position because all the parents were afraid you’d corrupt their teenaged girls. Is that what you’re doing with this one? No parents around?”

“Mal!” Regina glared at the woman, her eyes a storm, of feelings past, and present, and maybe even dread for the future.

“Regina?” The woman chuckled. “Did you marry Robin so that people would stop thinking you were gay and you could teach at the high school?”

“I think- I think I should go.” Regina gathered her bag and hung it over her shoulder.

“Regina,” the woman set a hand on the brunette’s shoulder, and to Regina, it felt as if that hand could burn right through her jacket.

“Yes?” Despite herself, she turned to see those icy eyes.

“I’ll allow your student to finish the year, under one condition.”

“What is it, Mal?” Regina could feel her insides quivering, and not pleasantly. It was more as if she was cold, but from the inside out, but her skin felt warm.

“You have to become her legal guardian for the remainder of the school year,” Mal said, and Regina let out a small sigh of relief.

“Very well, I can do that,” Regina nodded, and Mal let go of her shoulder, going to her desk and returned to Regina with a folder.

“Here’s the paperwork, turn it in as soon as you can.”

“Alright,” Regina gave the woman a last, uneasy smile, and a moment later, when Mal broke eye contact, Regina went to the door.

“Oh, one more thing,” Mal called out and Regina turned to see the blonde turned away from her to round her desk.

“Yes?”

“A drink.”

Regina pressed her lips together.

“Okay, I’ll call your office.”

“I’ll call  _ you _ ,” Mal said, taking a seat on her chair, eyes nailing Regina, who simply nodded and left the office with hurried steps.

 

 

“What’s that?” Robin asked his wife as he found her at the kitchen table, nose deep in paperwork. “I thought you weren’t giving out essays until Thanksgiving?”

“Not an essay,” Regina said, taking a sip of her coffee. “It’s just paperwork so I can become Emma’s legal guardian.”

“Excuse me?” The man raised his eyebrows.

“Mh?” Regina hummed without looking up from the stack of paper she was filling out.

“Don’t you think we should talk about that first?” Robin asked as he pulled a beer from the fridge and took a drink.

“Uh… you’re not becoming her legal guardian, I am, and it’s only for the rest of the school year.”

“Regina, what if she gets in trouble?”

“Whatever happened to not taking it out on a teenaged girl?” Regina raised an eyebrow, her eyes still not meeting Robin’s.

"I'm your husband, and this is also my home. Don’t you think I should have a say on whether or not this girl comes to live with us?”

“I don’t think she’ll come to live with us, Robin,” Regina rolled her eyes, “It’s just a formality so she can stay in school. Besides, I thought she was already eighteen, but according to the birth certificate Mal gave me, I see that she’ll be eighteen soon, she’ll be criminally accountable for herself if she were to commit a crime, which she won’t.”

“And you know that?” Robin crossed his arms.

“Yes, I know that.”

“How, R’gina?” The man seemed skeptical.

“I just do, okay? I told you there was a period of my life that…” she shrugged, “It wasn’t great, and I’m sure she won’t get into trouble. She just needs to know someone has her back, and I do.”

The man seemed to go silent for a moment, and at last shook his head.

“I don’t agree with this, Regina.”

“You don’t have to. I’m still doing it.”

“Fine,” the man said and set down his beer, grabbing his jacket and left the house, the sound of the slamming door making Regina flinch.

At last, she lifted her eyes and looked out of the window in front of her, letting out a sigh as she watched him get in their car and drive off.

 

 

Regina looked at her watch, it was almost five in the afternoon and Emma hadn’t popped in all week. She had expected that she’d at least be in on Friday.

“Told you so,” Zelena said as she walked into the woman’s classroom and Regina frowned.

“Told me so, what?”

“Emma showed up on Monday, taught the class how to make a chocolate cake and split, hasn’t come into my class all week.”

“She hasn’t?” Regina’s eyebrows went up slightly, and then she frowned. “I haven’t seen her this week, either. Maybe she got sick?”

“Maybe. I heard you went to talk to Mal,” Zelena’s smirk was a lot more than Regina wanted to put up with at the moment.

“Yeah, so?”

“So…” Zelena sat at the chair that Emma usually occupied for tutoring by Regina’s desk.

“So what?” Regina hoped her dark glare was enough to persuade her sister from leaving the subject alone.

“So how was it? You haven’t talked to her since… we graduated, right?”

“Yeah, and it was fine. She was perfectly civil, and so was I, nothing to tell.”

“Really?” Zelena seemed disappointed. “After all those crazy adventures you had with her and now you were just civil?”

“It’s been a decade, Zelena. And I’m married.”

“Please, Regina, you were so in love with Mal, I’ve never seen you look at Robin the way you looked at her.” The blonde chuckled. “Tell me what she said to you.”

“There’s really nothing to tell, Zelena…” she dragged out the a of the woman’s name to show her exasperation. “She agreed to let Emma stay in school if I become her legal guardian for the remainder of the school year, that’s all.”

“But did you get butterflies?”

Regina stared at her sister for a while.

“I wouldn’t call them butterflies.”

“But you got something.”

“Of course I got something, Zelena… Mal was my first, and I did fall for her.” Regina sighed, reaching for her water bottle and took a drink.

“It sucks that all of that romance ended up with her dumping you after graduat-”

“Oh god, shut up, Zelena.”

“-I guess college was a way to get over her, but it couldn’t have been easy when no one would hire you thinking you were a big evil lesbian.”

“I am a big evil lesbian-”

“-Yes, but you have a beard now. One that looks nice on you. How’s Robin, by the way?”

“He’s fine… broody over this legal guardian business, he’ll get over it though,” Regina shrugged. “He’s a big teddy bear and loves to help people. He just doesn’t want trouble for me.”

“Oh, I bet,” Zelena tilted her head. “And do you still have… like, sex with him?”

“Zeena!”

“I’m your sister and your only friend, you have to talk to  _ someone _ , woman.”

“Fine. Yes, we have sex sometimes, when he’s in the mood,” Regina answered, sipped her water.

“And still nothing?”

“I mean he makes me feel loved, but-”

“-but not orgasmic?” Zelena chuckled. “Damn it, Regina. You’re so, so gay, sis.”

“Yeah, I know, believe me. I know.” Regina deadpanned.

“Does he still do that thing where he-”

“God, Zelena,” Regina glared, getting up from her chair and started to gather her things to leave. “We’re still at work.”

“Okay, meet for dinner tomorrow?” Zelena grinned.

“Yeah, alright,” Regina chuckled at the idiotic face her sister was making and made her way out of the classroom with her, until they went their separate ways.

 

 

“Ruby! Get the door!” Granny called out and a few moments later, the front door open and Ruby raised both eyebrows when she saw Miss Mills standing in front of her.

“H-hey Miss Mills,” Ruby said and closed the door behind her, in case she was in trouble. “Granny’s not here.”

“Really?” Regina gave a chuckle, “Who told you to open the door?”

“My sitter?”

Regina rolled her eyes, she had no patience for this troublemaker.

“Is Emma around? I haven’t seen her all week, is she sick?”

“Oh…” Ruby pressed her lips together, taking Miss Mills’ arm and guiding her out towards the sidewalk and started to walk with her until they were far enough from her house. “No, she’s gone.”

“What? What do you mean she’s gone?” Regina frowned, grasping the folder in her hands. She had just needed some of Emma’s information to add to it and turn it in.

“I’ve been looking for her everywhere, Miss Mills,” Ruby hugged herself. “The bus station, other places where she used to crash, I’ve asked around and no one’s seen her.”

“Why did she leave?” Regina frowned, “Why didn’t you report her missing?”

“I tried, but she’s been a runaway before, so they didn’t really take me seriously,” Ruby’s pout only served to anger Regina more.

“Well, did you fight? Why did she go?”

“We- yeah, we fought last Thursday, and she grabbed her things and left,” Ruby sniffed. “I know she was at school on Friday, because Ella saw her at Miss Green’s class, but no one has seen her since.”

“So… she’s been gone since last Friday? Seven days ago?” Regina took a breath, trying to calm herself.

“Yeah, I’m so sorry, Miss Mills, Emma’s gone.”

“Gone,” Regina repeated, lowering her eyes to the folder in her hands. 


	6. "Robin..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hii, this is a bit of a shorter update, but I promise the next one will be longer. Thank you all so much for your comments and feedback and kudos. ♥

“Emma’s gone,” Regina said as she walked into her house, setting the keys down and approached her husband, “Why are you sitting in the dark, honey?”

“Honey?” The man’s voice sounded strange and Regina set down the folder at the coffee table, turned the lamp on and was taken aback by the look on Robin’s face.

“Yeah?” Regina answered.

“No. Honey? You’ll call me that?” His accent was even more prominent when he was angry, his voice higher pitched, and although at times Regina found that adorable, the present look on his face kept her from saying anything. “Tell me, _honey_ , how long have we been married?”

“Seven years?” Regina chuckled, “What’s this about, babe?”

“Seven years, you’ve been a- how did Zelena say it? A _big evil lesbian_?” The man stood up, and Regina froze in place.

“…Robin?” Her tone was cautious, real cautious.

“I thought today, you know, I’ll be a good husband, apologize for my behavior earlier this week, bring my lovely wife some flowers, pick her up at work, take her out to dinner, let her know that her man’s going to be there for her no matter what, and what do I find? You and your sister, yapping away about Mayor Drake and you apparently in love with her, fucking her when she was your teacher.”

“Robin…”

“And me? We make love when I’m in the mood, I’m sorry, doll, have I been forcing you all this time? Like a damn tool? Were you ever into it, even?”

“Robin…”

“I suppose it doesn’t really matter, right? Is that why you wouldn’t take my last name?”

“Robin…”

“What, Regina? What?”

“Robin…” Regina felt her jaw tensing, her breaths coming in shorter.

“Well, talk, woman! Is it true?! What Zelena said? Is that what your past with Mayor Drake was about? She was your first? Your lover?”

“Robin…” Regina felt the first tears trickle down her cheeks, she wanted to say so much, and yet she was so blindsided by this all.

“You can’t even deny it, can you?” Robin asked her, his tone now defeated, and there were tears in his eyes too. “Self-serving bitch.”

“Robin…” her voice was strained, his name a mere whimper.

“I’m going camping for a few days, I need to think about all this,” the man said as he finally walked around her, not a single glance back in her direction, and then Regina heard the door open and shut, and the car engine start.

“Robin…” she sobbed.

 

            “Damn it,” Regina sobbed into her sister’s shoulder, the woman’s fingers carefully threading through her hair to try and give her some comfort.

“I’m so sorry, Regina, I never meant-”

“I always tell you to be careful with your mouth, Zelena!” Regina’s eyes became half suns, glaring into her sister’s.

“Regina, I didn’t mean for this to happen…” Zelena took a deep breath and cradled her sister close. “…but now that it has… isn’t it a bit liberating?”

“It’s…” Regina lifted her head, a gentle, confused frown adorning her forehead. “No, he was my partner for…” another pause.

“I’m just saying that maybe there’s a silver lining, love,” Zelena’s voice was soft, and Regina appreciated that, she did.

“I just… I just need to sleep, things will be brighter in the morning,” Regina sighed, “And then I can figure out what to do about Mal, and Robin, and Emma…

“What would you do about Mal?” Zelena tilted her head. “You didn’t tell me the whole story, did you?”

“Just… going to see her,” Regina sniffed, closing her eyes for a moment, “She still made me nervous, it was as if I became a teenager again…”

“Well, I’d say that’s normal, wouldn’t you? The last time you talked to her things were…”

“I _was_ a teenager,” Regina pursed her lip, then reached for a tissue and dabbed at her eyes. “I’m not a teenager anymore, Zelena. And not only that, but I asked her for this favor, and now what? Now Emma’s gone-”

“What do you mean Emma’s gone?” Zelena frowned softly and Regina raised her shoulders for a moment. “Something happened with her living arrangement with Ruby and no one seems to know where she is. The police won’t do anything because she’s got a history of running away.”

“So let’s recap,” Zelena’s eyes narrowed. “You saw your dubiously abusive ex, your husband found out you’re really not that into men, and your pet project ran away, all of that this week?”

Regina let out a sigh, nodding.

“Damn, sis, you need something stronger than this tea,” Zelena stood up, and Regina watched as she went to the cava in the living room and returned with two glasses and a bottle of red, poured generously.

Regina did need it, so she did drink it.

“So… what will you do now?” Zelena asked, “Go after Robin?”

Regina seemed to become pensive, and in the end, shook her head.

“No… he deserves better,” Regina rubbed her face. “I just hate that I hurt him so much…”

 “I know, he’s kind of great, isn’t he?” Zelena sighed.

“Yeah,” Regina let out another breath, “Actually, he is great.”

“I’m really sorry, Regina,” Zelena pulle her sister back into her arms and stroked her hair. “For now let’s just… watch a movie, have some ice cream, drink more wine. Tomorrow you’ll know what to do.”

“Okay,” Regina let out a gentle breath and rested against her sister, who reached for the remote to turn on the television.

 

            “Just the coffee,” Emma said as she paid the man with quarters and went to sit on a stoop and drank it. It was getting colder and colder. New York had always been a savage place, from what she could remember. Perhaps she’d go to Maryland next; she’d read about Baltimore and had always wanted to go there. She wasn’t sure exactly what it was about it that appealed to her.

Maybe just a new place to be homeless at.

If she could cry, she would, but a pretty girl crying on a stoop with two backpacks on her shoulders would only attract unwanted attention and to be truthful, the last thing Emma wanted was attention, or pity, or help.

Emma knew she had been rash. Her decision to leave Storybrooke stemming from impulse, but she had been so hurt, so hurt by Ruby’s words, and so tired, tired that her wellbeing never really depended on her. She could only do so much to alter her situation, and even then, she had little effect.

 She regretted not being able to say goodbye to Miss Mills, though. The woman had been trying hard to help her, and Emma’s first thought had been to run away.

Here she was now, for the second time in her life, homeless in New York. At least this time she had a new pair of shoes and a real sweatshirt, thick and warm. A little smiled appeared on her lips as she thought of Miss Mills’ kindness, and yet a gentle frown of regret marred it almost at once.

She missed Storybrooke, and it was a confusing thing to Emma, because she had never _missed_ a place, but she did, she missed the warm and friendly people, the crisp, clean air, her walks along the riverbank leading from Granny’s house to Apple Creek High… she even missed Ruby, because even though she had been unfair and kind of a bitch at the end in an attempt to manipulate Emma, Ruby _had_ given Emma a home for a year.

She buried her face in her sleeve and did something she’d sworn to herself she wouldn’t do, Emma cried.

How could she even go back to Storybrooke now? She had spent the bit of money she had on the bus ticket to New York, and getting a job while homeless was a specially difficult thing in a city thriving with people in search of opportunities. Even as she looked around, the place was littered with all kinds of people living life fast.

Storybrooke had been slow, gentle, and good for Emma’s heart. There, no one questioned a girl laying over a blanket in a park, napping on a bench, or having dinner with a teacher.


End file.
